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BlueBird Block-2 Mission: ISRO Launches Heaviest Satellite Ever From Indian Soil

The launch took place at 8:55 am IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. Within minutes, the satellite was safely deployed into orbit, prompting ISRO to officially declare the mission a success.

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PratidinTime National Desk
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ISRO

India’s space agency achieved another major milestone on Wednesday as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite, the heaviest satellite ever sent into space from Indian soil using an Indian rocket.

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ISRO Chairman V Narayanan said the mission was executed flawlessly, with the satellite placed accurately into its designated orbit. Calling it a proud moment for the country, he highlighted that the launch showcased the growing strength and reliability of India’s launch systems.

“This mission marks the first time we have carried out a fully dedicated commercial launch for a customer from the United States,” Narayanan said, referring to US-based company AST SpaceMobile. He added that the mission was also ISRO’s 104th launch from Sriharikota and the ninth successful flight of the LVM-3 rocket, all of which have been completed without failure.

As the 24-hour countdown came to an end, the 43.5-metre-tall rocket, powered by two S200 solid boosters, thundered into the sky at 8:55 am from the second launch pad at the spaceport, located around 135 km east of Chennai.

After a flight lasting nearly 15 minutes, the BlueBird Block-2 satellite separated smoothly from the launch vehicle and was successfully placed into its designated orbit at an altitude of about 520 km.

The launch is particularly significant due to the size and weight of the payload. The BlueBird Block-2 satellite is the heaviest ever carried by India’s LVM-3 launch vehicle and represents the third fully commercial mission undertaken by the rocket. The mission also came just 52 days after the previous LVM-3 flight, underlining ISRO’s ability to carry out back-to-back launches in quick succession.

The BlueBird Block-2 satellite is designed to deliver high-speed mobile connectivity directly to regular smartphones, without the need for special devices or modifications. Once fully operational, it is expected to support voice calls, video streaming and internet access, including 4G and 5G services, even in remote parts of the world.

Developed by ISRO, the LVM3 rocket is a heavy-lift launch vehicle with three stages, using two powerful solid boosters, a liquid-fuelled core, and a cryogenic upper stage. With a lift-off weight of 640 tonnes and standing 43.5 metres tall, the rocket is capable of carrying payloads of up to 4,200 kg to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit.

LVM3 has a strong track record, having earlier carried out major missions such as Chandrayaan-2, Chandrayaan-3 and two OneWeb launches that placed 72 satellites into space. Its previous flight, the LVM3-M5/CMS-03 mission, was successfully completed on November 2, according to ISRO.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated ISRO's scientists and engineers for the historic launch. In a post on X, he wrote, "A significant stride in India's space sector...The successful LVM3-M6 launch, placing the heaviest satellite ever launched from Indian soil, the spacecraft of USA, BlueBird Block-2, into its intended orbit, marks a proud milestone in India's space journey."

Also Read: One Step Closer to Space: ISRO Successfully Tests Gaganyaan Module Parachutes

Narendra Modi Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)